The Government has formed an Expert Committee to investigate the reasons for the collapse of the Silkyara Tunnel on NH-134 under the Chardham National Highway Improvement Programme, which took place during construction. The committee will also suggest the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be followed in case of tunnel collapse or tunnel construction.

The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, said this in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. He said that the project is under implementation by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) on Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. He said that the contract conditions provide for all safety norms and regulations in line with National and International safety standards.

Road Safety audits and guidelines

The minister further said that Road Safety audits are carried out at different stages, such as the design stage, construction stage, pre-opening stage and operation stage, in National Highway projects, including tunnel projects, to ensure the safety of road users.

The minister also said that the framing of guidelines on the integration of safety technology into the regulatory frameworks of the highway projects, including those in the Himalayan projects, and their up-gradation to improve safety, reduce accidents and improve emergency response, is a continuous process.